It might be a great camp, but the registration process was so poor that although we were told we…read morehad a spot at camp, we didn't. After figuring out the complexities of summer camps, I went in person at 10am on the first day of camp registration. I waited in line for 30 minutes. When my registration information was collected I was told that my child got into camp. A week later I was called and told that my child was on a huge wait list and that they didn't get into camp. Of course this meant it was too late. All the other sessions of the camp were full and I'd booked the rest of the summer. I am really disappointed. They are doing nothing about it other than "fixing thing for next year".

All 3 of my daughters have gone to this camp over the past 10 years. The staff is the best. The…read moreunique setting and experience is something they talk about all year. They always beg to go back the next summer. Could not recommend more.

My daughter absolutely loved this camp and Skylar Bossen is such an amazing camp coordinator. We…read morewill definitely be returning.

We've been testing out several summer camps around the N. Austin area and I have to say, Neuron…read moreGarage (Avery Ranch location) has been the absolute best. Hands down. My kiddo has had some challenges with socialization, but he's blossomed & become the confident kid he once was. The camp director, Robin, and their staff are so caring and fun. They even share great tips on mindset growth via email with parents. We're a little sad this is the last week, but we'll be back next summer. We can't wait! Big thanks to this awesome team!

My son has been attending summer camps at idea lab since he was 5 (now turning 10) and he LOVES it…read morethere! He has tried several others and Idea Lab is the ONLY one he has consistently wanted to return to each summer. It's a relatively small group of kids which he likes and he has freedom to be creative and exposure to so many new things and also has made some good friends there. He played chess for the first time there and came home and beat me! I've also found it to be the most flexible and most convenient camp in our area which is honestly why we chose it in the first place. We can drop off as early as 7:30 and pick up at 6 which is so helpful for working parents. They also serve snacks and a catered lunch so we can order ahead and don't have to worry about bringing lunch. Adam the owner is super communicative and accessible if we have any questions or need any help at any time (just a phone call or email away).

From the owner: Discover the magic of creativity at Idea Lab Kids Summer Camps, proudly celebrating 8 amazing years…read morein the Austin community! Join us for a summer filled with hands-on learning, innovation, and fun for kids of all ages. From STEM experiments to creative technology arts, coding, robotics, and culinary adventures, we offer something for every curious mind. Our engaging camps are designed to spark curiosity, foster collaboration, and build lifelong skills in a safe, supportive environment. Thank you, Austin, for trusting us to inspire your kids year after year! Let’s make this summer unforgettable. Spots fill quickly—register now and be part of the celebration!

School of Rock Austin off of Anderson Lane is a wonderful place. The Music, Director and teaching…read morestaff as well as the General Manager and the office staff all work together very closely to ensure the best for each of their students seven days a week. They really care about their students and their program. My sons have had wonderful experiences at the school and have grown as people as well as musicians . Being a part of the SOR performance program has given them a sense of belonging as well as lifted their self-esteem. My eldest son was able to get a lucrative job, though he is still an older teenager due to his knowledge and hard work at SOR in addition to some other great qualities he has. SOR is a place where students up to 18 years old can be themselves and discover music and get a chance to perform in actual venues in this wonderful city that is so much defined by music. Adult students have the chance to learn instruments or singing that they may have always wanted to learn, but never had a chance, for others, it proves to be a great activity be where they can develop skills make friendships. They too get to perform in venues. All of the students have one-on-one lessons with professional musicians. I just can't say enough good things about it, and I know that my children are better for having been a part of the SOR family.

TLDR: The only good thing about this location is the teachers. They are incredible. However, the…read moredirectors at this location are extremely unethical in their practices, and they're following suit of the massive corporate chain above them. The teachers really are incredible. I know many kids have had a great experience because of them! They work hard and care about what they do. They also only make about $15/lesson, while parents are paying more than 5x that per lesson. That's at least $55 that goes... somewhere else.... These incredible teachers are refused benefits including health insurance. They are forced to apply for government assistance and charitable aid to get coverage. Indeed, there is a local nonprofit that provides assistance to musicians whose employers otherwise refuse to: HAAM. This location even unashamedly uses their students to fundraise for HAAM, showing the world what good philanthropists they are, while their own employees have to rely on them to afford health insurance. If your child does go there and shows enough talent or drive, they will be pressured to audition for the "B-Team." This is a great opportunity for kids to play gigs in front of audiences, especially if that's what they're passionate about. Unfortunately, however, this group of students is exploited and overworked. They are used as free marketing and labor at events, and the number of required weekends can be overburdensome and lead to burnout. Just be wary, and know a lot of the group quit this year. If your child is set on a rock-star dream, learning covers, and playing on stage at a venue in a rockband setting, more power to them! It's a lot of fun, and there are other great alternatives. BandAid is a great choice, or even the southwest location of School of Rock (private franchise). If your child is set on learning an instrument or furthering their musical education, please consider other options first. This School of Rock location is a corporate franchise, where money is valued over people, and the two directors take full advantage of their employees and students. Private instructors abound, all for less money and more learning, especially music theory and even just reading music. It will also be cheaper, since you'll pay teachers directly, and not the overhead of an international corporate chain, which is only a mere portfolio of an even more massive company, Youth Enrichment Brands. At the end of the day School of Rock is a business owned by an even bigger business. With a CEO, shareholders, profit margins to hit, and money to make. They will put profit over people at every level, despite their convincingly authentic appearances. The music director even makes some of his serious leadership decisions by rolling a die, as if it's a game to him? Our kids deserve better. -From a parent of a former student and spouse of a former teacher.

This business accepted an online reservation, took my deposit for a package deal of four children,…read moreresponded to a phone call and text message, and was out of business when we arrived for the reserved event. There was no apology, no follow up email, and no offer for a refund. This was a scheduled get together for my child with three other friends. Four families drove in traffic to get to this reserved event and found an empty store front. Incredibly disappointing, unprofessional, and unresponsive. I had to contact my credit card company to get a refund.

We had a great experience at the Scholar Ship. I highly recommend for them for a no-hassle kid's…read morebirthday party. We did the escape room party for a 9 year old, and the kids loved it. The escape room was at just the right level of difficulty. There's also an attendant in the room and you can watch the group as they work through the mystery. The venue provides plates, cups, napkins, and forks, so we brought pizza, juice boxes, and cupcakes.

This is a great horse facility and riding arena where your kids can take lessons or just come walk…read morethrough the stables and say hi to all the beautiful horses and ponies here. You can book birthday parties or just come for the day and take a few lessons. They offer summer camps for kids and Girl Scout adventure visits.

We boarded our horse (Roxie) here for 8 years. They always kept us informed and made sure Roxie had…read morethe best care possible. They will go above and beyond to ensure the well being of all the horses in their care. Mike, Flo, Armando, Curtis, and the Veterinary team (from Austin Equine) are wonderful. The health and safety of the horses is their top priority.

I've been coming here for two years now to paint pottery. The prices are well priced compared to…read moreother places and the staff is super helpful if you need any help or advice on your pieces! They fire the pottery pretty quickly too, I wait about a week for mine to be done and it always comes out great.

We adore this place and the people that work there! Such a fun selection of pieces to paint and we…read morealways make new friends!

My son had wanted to take a cooking class for years, but moving/covid/life issues stopped us from…read morefinding one. This year I made it happen and tried Kitchen House for both my kids. They really enjoyed it, came home each day with big smiles and a lot of enthusiasm. My daughter saved the food she prepared to bring me a little light lunch (which was actually quite delicious) and my son devoured all of his. The main advantage of the class vs. training them myself is that KH is a dedicated teaching kitchen. They are equipped and staffed to show kids how to prepare many dishes over the course of a week, whereas I have the time, energy and ingredients to maybe teach them one thing. I'm glad we signed up for this and will be back next Summer for another class or two.

Kids had an awesome time at the summer cooking and science camp. Came home so excited every day and…read morewanting to go back. Highly recommend.

We attended my grandson's 2-hour birthday party on a recent Sunday at the Anderson Mill IdeaLab…read moreKids location. I think it was one of the best children's parties I've ever seen. There were 3 planned, hands-on activities for the children (this group included mostly children 8-9 years old), and there was also some "free time" in a large open room, so the kids got some movement. That same room was used to test out the childrens' completed take-home projects. Each of the planned activities was set up in a room with tables and chairs, with one person overseeing each table. For two of the activities, the children took home what they made. There's a party room in the back of the space with a long table, plus space to set up a cake and other snack items. In addition to birthday parties, IdeaLab also offers after-school care and summer day camps, set up by age group. We signed my grandson up for a week of summer camp. There's a wide variety of camp choices, but we expect many will fill up quickly. IdeaLab Kids seems to be a great option for children to have STEM fun in a hands-on environment.

My son has been attending summer camps at idea lab since he was 5 (now turning 10) and he LOVES it…read morethere! He has tried several others and Idea Lab is the ONLY one he has consistently wanted to return to each summer. It's a relatively small group of kids which he likes and he has freedom to be creative and exposure to so many new things and also has made some good friends there. He played chess for the first time there and came home and beat me! I've also found it to be the most flexible and most convenient camp in our area which is honestly why we chose it in the first place. We can drop off as early as 7:30 and pick up at 6 which is so helpful for working parents. They also serve snacks and a catered lunch so we can order ahead and don't have to worry about bringing lunch. Adam the owner is super communicative and accessible if we have any questions or need any help at any time (just a phone call or email away).

Our outing with Maverick Horseback Riding was the highlight of our entire vacation. My family of…read morefour are wholly inexperienced riders; Joan Marie and her team were superb guides with the right balance of instruction, independence, and fun. Joan Marie did us an immense favor, too, by allowing us to start our ride a couple hours early in order to avoid an incoming thunderstorm. I'm sure she saved our weekend! And a final kudos for an excellent BBQ joint recommendation; we went straight there for lunch after our ride and got a "full" Lockhart experience! Strongly recommend Maverick for an excellent equestrian experience!

This was what I had wanted for my birthday, sadly it was a total waste of money…read more We had booked the sunset ride, but by the time we got going after waiting and waiting, it was dark. Our ride was scheduled to start at 4:00, but it got delayed with no explanation and we did not start until after 5:30. The sun had set by that time because of winter and we couldn't see any of the views. Also, we didn't do a true trail ride, they took us to the city park and we rode around there at night, it was absolutely underwhelming for what we paid. Lastly, there was this little girl who is the daughter of one of the instructors. At first she was cute and sassy, then it just got old. She spoke to the adults like she was one, telling them to "move" out of her way.